By Alex Lee
Copyright independent
The Traitors isn’t the only BBC show getting the celebrity treatment this week. If you hadn’t heard, Dragons’ Den is officially back, and this evening, everyone’s favourite PE teacher is joining the fearsome five once again.
In tonight’s show, Joe Wicks is taking a seat alongside Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Steven Bartlett, Touker Suleyman and Sara Davies to appraise a whole range of new businesses, from a dinosaur-themed experience company to a plant-based seasoning brand, a mobility course firm and a job platform for mothers returning to work.
In Wicks’s first appearance in January, the fitness guru invested in a gym-in-a-bag business after the Liverpudlian founder moved him to tears. But will any entrepreneurs manage the same tonight?
First up in the Den this evening is Chris Robert, better known as Ranger Chris, the founder of Dinomania, a dinosaur entertainment business offering interactive shows. But will his prehistoric pitch get the Dragons joining the dinos?
Launched in 2021, Dinomania hosts dinosaur-themed experiences across the UK, letting people get up close and personal with life-size walking dinosaurs and baby dinos. The company also runs educational workshops at festivals, schools and corporate events.
Next up in the den are Sam Fresco and Steve Wildish, co-founders of Notorious Nooch – a plant-based nutritional yeast seasoning designed to be sprinkled on pasta, salads and more. But will the Dragons be smacking their lips to invest?
Launched in 2020, Notorious Nooch combines nutritional yeast and toasted yeast flakes to add a hit of savoury flavour to any dish. It’s packed with protein and B12 vitamins and is completely vegan.
Gluten-free, dairy-free and billed as perfect for a cheese sauce, the seasoning comes in cheese, smoky bacon and grilled chicken flavours – all meat-free. The cheese flavour is available on Amazon, but the bacon and chicken varieties are harder to find.
Third in the Den are husband-and-wife duo Andrew Telfer and Gill Erskine, who hope to get the Dragons on their feet with their outdoor movement and strength classes. Seemingly primed for a Joe Wicks investment, will the fitness coach come on board?
Launched in 2021, WildStrong runs outdoor sessions designed to improve joint health and flexibility in a non-competitive environment. The classes focus on real-life movement skills such as climbing, balancing and carrying, and take place across the UK.
Last in the den are sisters and co-founders Amelia and Lydia Miller, who present Ivee, a job marketplace helping women return to work after having children.
Launched in 2024, Ivee is a free community-based jobs platform where women can create profiles, join a community and openly discuss their return to work following a career break. The platform provides career guides, templates and resources to help users apply for roles and upskill.
Members can also browse jobs based on their flexibility needs, with free access to live listings, resources and more.
Catch up on last week’s episode with our Dragons’ Den episode 10 recap